Govt backs SIMI ban as Lalu-Mulayam sing different tunes

The UPA washed its hands off the controversy sparked off by RJD chief Lalu Yadav and SP president Mulayam Singh’s remarks on Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), saying these represented individual opinions and the coalition firmly backed continued ban on the outfit.

“As far as the UPA is concerned, its stand has been clear on the SIMI, evident from its appeal in the apex court against the order lifting the ban,” AICC spokesman Manish Tiwari said.

However, he declined to comment when asked if the Centre would ban Hindu organisation Rashtriya Sevak Sangh after some UPA leaders recently drew comparisions between the two outfits.

“What the RSS is doing by fuelling the agitation in Jammu on shrine land is not in the country’s interest,” was all Tiwari said.